Retractable cabinet device

ABSTRACT

A retractable cabinet device has a base, two tracks and a cabinet. The tracks are mounted on the base and each track has a rail slot defined in the track and having a convex top surface. The cabinet is mounted movably on the tracks, selectively extends out or retracts back above the base and has two front wheel assemblies and two rear wheel assemblies. The front wheel assemblies contact the ground. The rear wheel assemblies are rotatably and slidably mounted respectively in the rail slots of the tracks. The retractable cabinet device is arranged in a compact and retracted configuration when idle to occupy less space and therefore facilitates use of indoors space where the retractable cabinet device is placed. Furthermore, the retractable cabinet device is stable and may be positioned in the using extracted or retracted configuration.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cabinet, and more particularly to a retractable cabinet device that may be extracted or retracted by users so that the retractable cabinet device is arranged in a compact and retracted configuration when idle to occupy less space and therefore facilitate use of indoor space where the retractable cabinet device is placed. Furthermore, the retractable cabinet device is stable and may be positioned in the using extracted or retracted configuration.

2. Description of Related Art

A conventional cabinet has an opening defined in a front thereof and a door or window is mounted on and covers the opening. Racks are mounted an internal space of the cabinet for supporting items to be put stored in the cabinet.

The opening of the cabinet must be kept exposed without obstruction to enable users to access items in the cabinets easily. Therefore, when a plurality of the aforementioned cabinets is assembled together, the cabinets are arranged side-by-side with openings exposed. However, because the width of each cabinet usually is larger than the depth along which the opening extends, such side-by-side arrangement makes a total width of the cabinets too long and this spoils the interior space design.

Therefore, a slidable cabinet assembly was developed having cabinets arranged abreast with openings of the cabinets aligned in a path along the depth. Each cabinet slidably moves on a track so that one cabinet may be pulled out to reveal and the opening of the cabinet for a user's access. Because the cabinets are arranged abreast along the depth instead of width, the total length of the cabinets is shorter and the spatial configuration is more compact, which enhances interior space design. However, such cabinet assembly is insufficiently stable and cannot be positioned in the using extracted or retracted configuration.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a retractable cabinet device to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the invention is to provide a retractable cabinet device that may be extracted or retracted by users so that the retractable cabinet device is arranged in a compact configuration when idle to occupy less space and therefore enable efficient use of indoor space where the retractable cabinet device is placed. Furthermore, the retractable cabinet device is stable and may be positioned in the using extracted or retracted configuration.

A retractable cabinet device in accordance with the present invention comprises a base, two tracks and a cabinet. The tracks are mounted on the base and each track has a rail slot defined in the track and a convex top surface. The cabinet is mounted movably on the tracks, selectively extends out or retracts back above the base and has two front wheel assemblies and two rear wheel assemblies. The front wheel assemblies contact the ground. The rear wheel assemblies are rotatably and slidably mounted respectively in the rail slots of the tracks. The retractable cabinet device is arranged in a compact and retracted configuration when idle to occupy less space and therefore enable efficient use of indoor space where the retractable cabinet device is placed. Furthermore, the retractable cabinet device is stable and may be positioned in the using extracted or retracted configuration.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of multiple retractable cabinet devices in accordance with the present invention arranged abreast;

FIG. 2 is an operational perspective view of the retractable cabinet devices in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the retractable cabinet device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional side view of the retractable cabinet device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an operational cross sectional side view of the retractable cabinet device in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the retractable cabinet device in FIG. 1 with the cabinet illustrated in phantom lines;

FIG. 7 is an operational top view of the retractable cabinet device in FIG. 6 with the cabinet illustrated in phantom lines;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of two adjacent bases of the retractable cabinet devices in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional perspective view of the base and the integrated tracks in an embodiment of the retractable cabinet device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the base and a ballast in another embodiment of the retractable cabinet device in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 11 is an operational side view of the retractable cabinet device in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, multiple retractable cabinet devices in accordance with the present invention may be arranged into a cabinet group. Each retractable cabinet device comprises a base 10, two tracks 20 and a cabinet 30.

With further reference to FIG. 4, the base 10 has a front end, a rear end, a top, two sides, two mounting slots 11, two mounting blocks 16 and two alignment notches 15. The mounting slots 11 are defined in the top of the base 10. The mounting blocks 16 are formed respectively in the mounting slots 11. The alignment notches 15 are defined in the sides adjacent the front end of the base 10.

With further reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the tracks 20 are attached respectively in and correspond to the mounting slots 11 of the base 10 and are parallel to each other. The tracks 20 may be detachably mounted respectively in the mounting slots 11 of the base 10. Each track 20 has a top surface, a bottom surface, a rail slot 21 and a mounting recess 26.

The rail slot 21 is defined in the top surface and has a front end, a rear end, a convex top surface 24 and two positioning recesses 22, 23. The convex top surface 24 is curved so that an intermediate section of the convex top surface 24 is higher than two end sections of the convex top surface 24. The positioning recesses 22, 23 are defined in the convex top surface 24 respectively in the front end and the rear end of the rail slot 21.

The mounting recess 26 is defined in the bottom surface of the track 20 and engages the mounting block 16 in a corresponding mounting slot 11 of the base 10.

With further reference to FIG. 11, the cabinet 30 is hollow, is mounted movably on the tracks 20, selectively extends out from or retracts back above the base and has a front, a rear, a bottom, two sides, an internal space 300, at least one rack 37, a pair of front wheel assemblies 35 and a pair of rear wheel assemblies 35 a.

The internal space 300 is defined in one side of the cabinet 30 and has at least one side opening.

The at least one rack 37 is mounted in the internal space 300 and may support items 90 such as books.

The front wheel assemblies 35 are mounted on the bottom of the cabinet 30 close to the front, are located out of the base 10 and slidably and rotatably contact the ground. The front wheel assemblies 35 may be located respectively in the alignment notches 15 of the base 10 when the cabinet 30 retracts back above the base 10. Each front wheel assembly 35 has a bracket and a front wheel 351 rotatably mounted on the bracket.

The rear wheel assemblies 35 a are mounted on the bottom of the cabinet 30 close to the rear, correspond to the tracks 20 and slidably and rotatably mounted respectively in the rail slots 21 of the tracks 20. Each rear wheel assembly 35 has a bracket and a rear wheel 351 a. The rear wheel 351 a is mounted rotatably on the bracket to rotate and slide on the rail slot 21 of a corresponding track 20 and may be positioned in one of the positioning recesses 22, 23 of the corresponding track 20.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7, a distance D1 between the front wheel assemblies 35 is larger than a distance D2 between the rear wheel assemblies 35 a for stability of slide and rotation.

In a preferred embodiment of the retractable cabinet device, a diameter of the front wheel 351 is larger than the diameter of the rear wheel 351 a for stability of slide and rotation.

With further reference to FIG. 8 in a preferred embodiment of the retractable cabinet device, the base 10 further has a first side plate 17 and a second side plate 18. The first side plate 17 is formed on one side of the base 10 and has multiple assembling holes 171 defined in the first side plate 17. The second side plate 18 is formed on the other side of the base 10 and has multiple assembling posts 181 formed on the second side plate 18 and corresponding to the assembling holes 171. Two bases 10 can be combined and arranged abreast by engaging the assembling posts 181 on one base 10 with the assembling holes 171 in the other base 10. The first side plate 17 and second side plate 18 can be configured to mate with each other in a stepped manner.

With further reference to FIG. 9, in one embodiment of the retractable cabinet device, the tracks 20 a are integrally formed respectively in the mounting slots 11 of the base 10 a.

With further reference to FIG. 10, in another embodiment of the retractable cabinet device, the base 10 b has multiple assembling slots 13 defined in the base 10 b, each assembling slot 13 having a ballast weight 14 detachably mounted in the assembling slot 13. The retractable cabinet device of the present invention has the following advantages.

1. Multiple retractable cabinet devices may be arranged abreast with an arranging direction of all tracks 20 perpendicular to a direction along which each track 20 lies. The at least one side openings of the cabinet 30 face along a depth direction being perpendicular to the direction along which each track 20 lies. Because the depth of each cabinet 30 is smaller than the width of the cabinet 30, the arrangement of the cabinet 30 makes a total length of the cabinets 30 shorter than conventional cabinets that are arranged abreast. Therefore, the retractable cabinet facilitates overall arrangement of interior space.

2. The convex top surface 24 has the intermediate section higher than the end sections so that a front slope and a rear slope opposite to the front slope are defined on the convex top surface 24. When cabinet 30 retracts above on the base 10 in a compact and retracted configuration, a user needs to pull the cabinet 30 across a top point between the front and rear slopes with a determined effort. If the pulling force is insufficient, the cabinet 30 will automatically retract back above the base 10 due to the rear slope. When the cabinet 30 is located out of the base 10 in an extracted configuration, the user also needs to employ determined effort to push the cabinet 30 or otherwise the cabinet 30 automatically moves back to the extracted configuration. Moreover, with the rear wheels 351 a of the rear wheel assemblies 35 a weighted down by the cabinet 30 and the items 90 stored in the cabinet 30, the rear wheels 351 a of the rear wheel assemblies 35 a are stably held in the positioning recesses 22, 23 of the tracks 20. Therefore, the convex top surface 24 and the positioning recesses 22, 23 of each track 20 have positioning functions, so the tracks 20 stabilize and prevent the cabinet 30 from being moved inadvertently no matter the ground inclines or earthquake happens.

3. The distance D1 between the front wheel assemblies 35 being larger than the distance D2 between the rear wheel assemblies 35 a stabilizes the movement of the cabinet 30 and prevents the cabinet 30 from tilting or toppling. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. A retractable cabinet device comprising: a base having a front end, a rear end, a top, two sides and two mounting slots defined in the top of the base; two tracks attached respectively in the mounting slots, being parallel to each other and each track having a top surface, a bottom surface and a rail slot defined in the top surface and having a front end; a rear end; a convex top surface being open instead of being enclosed, and the convex top surface being curved so that an intermediate section of the convex top surface is higher than two end sections of the convex top surface; and a cabinet being hollow, mounted movably on the tracks, selectively extending out from or retracting back above the base, having a front, a rear, a bottom and two sides and further having an internal space defined in one side of the cabinet and having at least one side opening; a pair of front wheel assemblies mounted on the bottom of the cabinet close to the front and located out of the base for slidably and rotatably contacting a ground, and each front wheel assembly having a bracket and a front wheel rotatably mounted on the bracket; and a pair of rear wheel assemblies mounted on the bottom of the cabinet close to the rear, corresponding to the tracks and slidably and rotatably mounted respectively in the rail slots of the tracks, and each rear wheel assembly having a bracket and a rear wheel mounted rotatably on the bracket and rotating and sliding on the rail slot of a corresponding track; wherein a distance between the front wheel assemblies is larger than a distance between the rear wheel assemblies for stability of slide and rotation.
 2. The retractable cabinet device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each track further has two positioning recesses defined in the convex top surface respectively in the front end and the rear end of the rail slot; and each rear wheel of each rear wheel assembly is positioned in one of the positioning recesses of the corresponding track.
 3. The retractable cabinet device as claimed in claim 2, wherein a diameter of the front wheel is larger than a diameter of the rear wheel.
 4. The retractable cabinet device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the base further has two alignment notches defined in the sides adjacent the front end of the base; and the front wheel assemblies are located respectively in the alignment notches of the base when the cabinet retracts back above the base.
 5. The retractable cabinet device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the cabinet further has at least one rack mounted in the internal space of the cabinet.
 6. The retractable cabinet device as claimed in claim 5, wherein two mounting blocks are formed respectively in the mounting slots; and each track further has a mounting recess defined in the bottom surface of the track and engaging the mounting block in a corresponding mounting slot of the base.
 7. The retractable cabinet device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the base further has a first side plate formed on one side of the base and having multiple assembling holes defined in the first side plate; and a second side plate formed on the other side of the base and having multiple assembling posts formed on the second side plate and corresponding to the assembling holes.
 8. The retractable cabinet device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the tracks are detachably mounted respectively in the mounting slots of the base.
 9. (canceled)
 10. The retractable cabinet device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the base has multiple assembling slots defined in the base, and each assembling slot has a ballast detachably mounted in the assembling slot. 